Typically, when a ball nose tool is used to machine contours
in plastic, the surface finish is a slightly irregular
with evident tool marks. While this finish is acceptable in
most applications, it is not acceptable in many medical
components, such as a knee replacement part. A knee
replacement includes an insert made of mechanical plastic
material. The plastic insert ensures smooth rotation
between the metal components of the implant.

The mechanical plastic insert requires a very
low Ra (roughness measurement), which
visually is a highly polished finish. Metal machined
components can achieve a
high polish using abrasives in a
secondary operation. Abrasives
cannot be used on plastic, as
the abrasives will roughen
the surface of the plastic.

To achieve the surface finish
required for the plastic insert, LMT Onsrud Cutter has
developed an innovative solid carbide ball nose tool that
will be available fourth quarter 2010. The new tool’s
unique geometry, specially designed
point and highly polished primary
clearance and flute give the tool the
ability to attain a surface finish of 28
Ra in mechanical plastic. A 28 Ra surface
finish is more than satisfactory
for the knee insert.

Other industries that will benefit
from the new ball nose tool include
food processing and electronics. In
any plastic application where the surface
finish is critical, companies will
want to take advantage of Onsrud’s
new ball nose tool.

CDM Industries announced a bold
new idea to assist startup and existing
companies in acquiring the right
machine tool for the job. Plastic fabricators
and distributors very often
pass up on quoting jobs because they
do not have the right tool
for that job. It pays to
have the right tool, but
many companies have a
tough time justifying the
initial cost.

They offer an array of
machines such as dust collectors,
panel saws, table saws, CNC
routers, lasers, etc. for sale or hire on a
weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Let them know what you
need and they
will be happy to
give you a
price. Their
equipment is
also for sale
and if you find
that the
machine you are
renting should
become a permanent fixture they will
take any money paid in rental fees on an
existing rental towards the purchase price of the machine.

CDM (Computer Driven Machinery) Industries is a full
service machinery sales and service company offering
machinery repair, PM, installation and instruction, re-location
and remote programming service to customers from
coast to coast. With more than 25 years experience in the
plastic cutting industry, they are your one-stop shop for all
your machinery needs.

Accu-Router recently shipped its latest Green CNC to a
Pennsylvania plastics fabricator who purchased their first
CNC router in 1980, which Accu-Router took back as a
trade-in. The same customer purchased their second CNC
router from Accu-Router in 1983.

A number of factors defined this project’s success.
Paying cash, Accu-Router re-acquired the original 1989
platform from a major boating customer in North
Carolina. The original 1989 CNC control had been
upgraded along the way due to
water damage,
resulting in a
late-model Fanuc
18i-MA control
and extra value
for the right
Green CNC
application.
The retail
value of a
Fanuc CNC
control package
is
$50,000+, which can exceed the entire price of a lighter
machine with off-brand or PC-based electronics. As part of
the transaction, Accu-Router was able to offer a trade-in
credit for an inactive 1980 Porter router, which was
hauled back to its factory after delivery to be modernized
for yet another customer.

Other system highlights include: full one-year new
machine warranty, 15 hp cast iron power drawbar spindle,
built and serviced in Tennessee with lifetime loaners;
8-position automated tool rack with rotary actuated
chip cover.

Accu-Router’s Green CNC program means a number of
“non-wear” structural components are inspected, cleaned
and reused, representing great savings versus the cost of
all new. Such items on this Accu-Router included the heavy
steel weldments, thick aluminum jig plate table and
NEMA-12 (dust tight) electrical cabinets. The machine was
provided with a vacuum holddown system and a 15 hp
Travaini liquid ring vacuum pump (new). This customer has
four other CNC routers (three are Accu-Routers). This new
Green CNC is the fastest, most versatile of their machines.
It was also the least expensive.

Accu-Router factory technicians also performed a courtesy
written inspection of the customer’s existing three
Accu-Routers to maximize their performance and life
expectancy.

When in the market
for used or new
equipment, Ex-
Factory Inc. offers
quick and easy
access to over
6,000 listings of
used machines on
www.exfactory.com
and over 1,200
new machines on www.FactoryNEW .com. Used and new,
select from 475 CNC routers, 450 panel saws, hundreds
of peripheral equipment such as compressors, dust collectors,
electrical components, material handling equipment,
fork and scissor lifts and more.

For immediate buying opportunities and competitive
pricing, frequently visit their online auction website at
www.ExfactoryAuctions.com for exceptional value in a
wide
range of
equipment.
With
over 20
years in
the industry,
25
industry
experienced
Product Managers, value-added services and the
widest variety of equipment this industry has to offer, Ex-
Factory Inc. is the place to go

One of the great strengths of the AXYZ Series machines is
their ability to have custom head configurations to suit
almost any specific
manufacturing
requirement.
This particular
example
shows how
five identical
cutting spindles
can be
mounted on
a single carriage
to allow
the production of five parts at the
same time.

These machines can have one or
two carriages each with up to three
cutting heads mounted on independently
controlled Z axes all driven by
precision ballscrews. To take this concept
even further, the machine could
also have two gantries each with its
own set of carriages and heads.
When multiple spindles are mounted
on the same carriage they can be
setup to operate together - as in this
five head example - in which case five
parts can be cut simultaneously for
maximum production. Alternatively,
each head could be fitted with different
tooling and configured to cut independently
of the other heads so that
jobs requiring multiple tools can be
processed without the need for an
automatic toolchange unit.

When you consider the range of cutting
heads that can be used - routing
spindles, knife units, drills and more -
and all the ways in which they can be
arranged on the machine either with
or without an auto toolchanger, the
possibilities are almost endless.

This is what makes the AXYZ Series
machine the most versatile in the
industry today and is why it is so popular
with discerning manufacturers who know exactly what
they need to make their business stand out from their
competitors and achieve that winning combination of productivity
and profitability.

AWED Corp. is now
offering the newest
Fermari polisher, the
ARIA 2 Diamond
Edge Polisher with a
polishing capacity of
62” long and up to
4” thick. The polisher
is equipped with
a 1 1/2 hp direct
drive, single-phase 220-volt spindle motor. It
will polish faster than any previous machine and still
have a high quality finish. A10 footer is also available.

Router Bits & End Mills

AWED also carries the Euracryl
end mills in solid carbide or
with monocrystalline diamond
cutters. The tooling creates a
highly transparent finish on
acrylic. Now you have the
opportunity to create shapes
with rounded, beveled edges
with your CNC or milling
machine and have a polished
finish. The tooling can put a
radius or bevel on the inside of
a straight hole from its diameter up to 20mm, to any
capacity of your machine (limited size bevel).

In some cases you can polish steps in the thickness of
the material, either straight or bevel finish. You can also
polish a through hole with their special tooling (machinery
requirement differs). Special shapes available upon
request. The tools are available 6mm and 8mm shanks
with .05 radius on natural diamond and 6mm to 20mm
on PCD and carbide.

TCG Saw Blades

AWED also offers
plastic cutting saw
blades with the
unique triple-chip
grind (TCG) tooth
design. It's design
offers a cut unequal
by any other blade.
These blades can be
used on standard
table saws or panel
saws, manual or CNC. A variety of sizes are available to
meet your specifications.

STRIEBIG vertical panel saws from Switzerland have a
renowned reputation for quality and precision cutting in a
wide variety of materials including most plastics.
STRIEBIG panel saws are safe, easy to operate and take
up a minimal amount of floor space compared to horizontal
saws, especially for larger sheets. STRIEBIG offers the
most complete range of machines with five models, each
with a wide variety of frame sizes from 5’x 10’ up to 10’ x
30’ and cutting depths up to 3 1/8”.

The COMPACT model offers STRIEBIG precision in a
basic manual machine but with many available accessories.
It is available with automatic
travel in the COMPACT AV
model. The
STANDARD
model is a
more powerful,
still
basic
machine
and available
with a full-wood back support panel for thinner material.

The newly redesigned top-of-the-line CONTROL
model is a fully automatic machine with touch-screen controls,
digital measuring, the full-wood back support, automatic
set-up features and new optional programmable
trimming, measuring and cutting.

C.R. Onsrud, Inc. offers a comprehensive line of high-precision
machining products including over fifty standard
models of 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC routers, four models of
Inverted Pin Routers, as well as a complete line of tooling
and accessories. CNC routers are offered in cast-iron fixed
bridge, twin table, single table, and steel frame moving
gantry designs.

Most C.R. Onsrud CNC routers include a
12-position tool changer, high grade
“off-the-shelf” standard components,
24/7 tech-support, and all can be
customized via a full menu of standard
options including: multispindle
drills,
aggregate
capability,
rotational
C-axis, 5-axis, multi-spindle and dual process configurations.
C.R. Onsrud is known for superior service capabilities,
high-tech training facilities and an extensive
Applications Engineering department to further reinforce
their pledge to provide the industry with the best products,
service and customer support.

FTM, Inc., offers a large selection
of saw blades specifically designed
and manufactured for cutting all
types of plastics. They stock blades
manufactured by General Saw
Corp., a name synonymous with
cutting excellence within the plastics
industry. General Saw gives
meticulous attention to every
aspect of saw blade engineering
and design, producing precision saw blades, which exceed even the most
critical cutting needs. Things to keep in mind when selecting a saw blade are
the thickness, hardness and heat sensitivity of your plastic. The thinner the
plastic the more easily it will chip, therefore the more teeth the blade will
require, the lower the rake angle and the thinner the kerf. The harder the
plastic is, the more likely it is to chip, also requiring more teeth. Heat sensitive
plastics require fewer teeth, more radial clearance angle and more
tooth overhang.

Use these guidelines to select the best blade for your material: use the maximum
number of teeth to reduce or eliminate chipping but cut back on the
number of teeth when smearing (overheating) begins to occur; use a blade
with the thinnest practical kerf; use stiffening collars when possible; and
always service your blades at the first sign of dulling.
For more help selecting the perfect saw blade, visit FTM’s website and click
on the "SAW-LECTOR GUIDE" for blades.

Hendrick’s line of heavyweight, fully automatic vertical beam saws feature the
precision accuracy needed to stack cut and cross-cut all-sized parts while
requiring minimal floor space. Hendrick PRO-V Vertical Beam Saws have full
length heavy-duty pneumatic pressure beams and squaring fences to provide
confirmed placement of material while cutting,
solid frames and surface areas to maintain squareness
and support. Featuring ±.005” of straight
line accuracy, an operator merely needs to
place the material against the stop, press the
button to activate the hold-down bar and then
press the start button to rip or cross-cut anything
ranging from less than 1/2” squares up to
10’ sheets.

The compact saw offers single blade scoring
and three cutting modes: normal,
reciprocating and scoring.
Driven by a 9 hp motor, the
adjustable saw blade travels on precision
machined ways and the 2 hp variable
speed automatic saw carriage traverse motor by
AC inverter is standard with speeds up to 75 fpm. The machine’s small footprint
saves valuable floor space.

Like all Forrest products,
they are made in
the United States and
come with a 30-day,
money-back guarantee.
The following blades
can be ordered direct
from the factory or from
quality dealers, retailers
and catalogs: No-Melt
Saw Blades cut single
or multiple stacked sheets of plastic—without chipping or
melting these materials. They are particularly suitable for
acrylics, delrins, ABS, PVC, and both high- and low-melt
nylons. Carefully engineered side clearances on the carbide
teeth significantly reduce or eliminate melted burrs
and residue buildup. Duraline Thin-Rims for Plastikerf and
Plycutter Saws. These blades cut fine, fragile, and/or thinwalled
material such as 1/32” to 1/4” acrylic sheets,
engraving stock, curved formica sections, plastic extrusions,
etc. Duraline Thin-Rims eliminate chipping, minimize
tooth impact and reduce material waste. Duraline
Circular Saw Blades are suited for extra fine, chipless sawing
of acrylics and plastic sheets and for fine sawing of
ABS, acrylics and PVC.

MAAC Machinery, a leader in the manufacturing of thermoforming
machinery, is producing a line of 5-axis CNC
routers to the thermoforming industry, labeled Royce
Routers.

The Royce Router is equipped with two 5’ x 5’ tables
that can be used independently or in tandem to accommodate
a 10’ x 5’ working area. This router is designed
specifically for the maximum production of trimming thermoformed
parts with
a focus on
higher
speeds,
allowing
thermoformers
to
match the
output of
rotary thermoforming
machines.

This allows processors to not only speed secondary
processes but eliminates the need for multiple “slower”
trimming machines typically required to provide an equivalent
output. The Royce line is equipped with top of the
line Fagor controls, 10 hp (2400 rpm) spindle(s), and is
available in both 36” and 48” z strokes.

This addition to the MAAC line up allows them to now
provide complete processing cells; from forming equipment
and molds, to trimming equipment and trim fixtures.
With the ability to provide everything from a single source,
MAAC can greatly reduce project timing, pre-set all processing
parameters, greatly reduce learning curves and
assure complete cell integration.

The 3000
Series router
also comes in
a wide variety
of table
sizes and features
a space
saving, moving-
gantry
design. In
addition,
MultiCam has vacuum fixturing options specifically tailored
to the plastics industry.

MultiCam Inc. has over 70 distributors worldwide,
including 20 Technology Centers in North America, so you
can always depend on local training, support and service.

Schelling announced their new fk4 panel saw designed
and engineered specifically for high speed, precision cutting
of plastic panels. This includes acrylic, PETG, polycarbonate,
polyolefins, PVC,
UHMW, phenolics,
mechanicals
and other specially
engineered
materials.

The fk4
provides
extremely
tight cutting tolerances
and chip-free cutting
of material as thin as .020" without the use of a protection
board. The machine is also equipped with material
recognition software, a saw blade change database and
total panel control features that provide fast setup times
when changing materials.

Stiles Machinery Inc. introduced a solution for nestedbased
CNC routing that delivers excellent quality at an
affordable price. Stiles observed that nested-based CNC
routing continues to gain momentum as an efficient manufacturing
process but their customers needed a costeffective
solution in today’s economic climate. Stiles
shared their customers’ requests with Weeke Mas -
chinenbau to engineer an entry-level CNC router. Based in
Northern Germany, Weeke is one of the world’s largest
manufacturers of CNC equipment. Stiles has been
Weeke’s exclusive distributor in the United States for over
20 years. The outcome of these collaborative efforts is the
Weeke Vantech series of CNC routers.

For routing panels, the Vantech delivers maximum flexibility
and easy integration
with popular
CAD/CAM software
packages.
But
German
engineering
alone did
not fulfill the expectation
of Stiles and their customers.
Stiles viewed the slow economy as an opportunity
to pursue new strategies, so they considered another
option. By manufacturing in the United States, they could
build machines for less without factors such as fluctuating
exchange rates and international shipping costs. German
engineered quality at an American-made price.
Primarily designed for nested-based machining, the
Vantech series of routers incorporates the advantages of
Weeke performance at an affordable price.

Available in 4’ x
8’, 5’ x 10’ and 5’ x 12’ table sizes, all of the models are constructed
with an extremely durable foundation to accommodate
the CNC router’s high-speed capabilities while
ensuring the machine’s longevity. Windows-based programming
software is a standard feature for maximum flexibility
and easy integration with popular design packages. Other
features include Quik-Pod system for added flexibility, dual
drive gantry and pneumatic positioning pins.

Techno, Inc. Linear Motion Systems announced the New
TechnoMod Gantry Machine, a multi-axis motion platform
complete with controls, cabling, software and enclosure;
all fully assembled. The TechnoMod is available in three
different sizes and can be used for pick and place, dispensing,
assembly, testing, drilling, routing, welding and
general automation applications.
Joe Griffin,
Techno Linear
Motion Sales
Manager, states,
“The New
TechnoMod
machine is completely
assembled
when it arrives.
All electronics are
wired and software
installed,
allowing customers
the ease
of running the
machine in any
work cell shortly.

The only setup customers may have to perform is the
mounting of drill, dispenser, laser or automation tooling
required for their application and in many cases Techno
can do this for the customer prior to shipping.”
Travel ranges are 650 x 300 x 275 mm for the Model
30, 650 x 450 x 275 mm for the Model 45 and 650 x
650 x 275 mm for the Model 65. Additionally, a 4th or
5th rotary axis can be added to the machine for more
complex operations, while all drive motors are DC brushless
servos providing high torque and precision. The
TechnoMod can be delivered with or without electronics as
well as a sliding front door with safety interlock. It has a
built-in industrial computer and rugged swing arm console
which includes a monitor and keyboard.

PlastiMACH Corp. is a
stocking dealer of
used plastic thermoforming
and plastic
processing equipment
since 1975. Most of
their late-model inventory
can be inspected
in New York or
Chicago warehouses.

They also represent all major manufacturers of new thermoforming
machinery, including single station, rotary double
end and inline equipment. They can help you select the
right machine for your application and budget, with over
75 years of experience in the thermoforming and routing
industry.

PlastiMach Corp. also introduces their CNCrouter -
store.com division. In addition to a wide selection of new
and used
CNC
Routers,
The CNC
Router
Store staff
specializes
in assisting
buyers
locate the
appropriate
equipment
for
their particular
application. With their large selection they have
machines for every budget. They carry used CNC routers
from Thermwood, Motionmaster, C.R. Onsrud, Komo,
Quintax, Multicam, Anderson, Omnitech and others. They
also carry the new line of CNT Motion Systems and FMT
CNC Routers with complete 3-axis CNC Router packages.

ShopBot’s PRSalpha CNCs are tough, sophisticated,
gantry-based CNC routers. Using advanced technology for
CNC cutting, drilling, carving and machining, the
PRSalpha is right in professional environments where production speed is
important, delivering
rapid transit
speeds of 1800
inches per
minute and cutting
speeds of up
to 600 inches per
minute. These
ShopBot CNCs
boast robust Vexta
alphaStep motors, an innovative
hybrid combining the quick motion and speed of stepper
motors with the closed-loop feedback advantages of
servos.

The German woodworking machinery
company, MARTIN has develop
an option for the MARTIN T74 saw
that would make it possible to finish
polishing of acrylic panels directly
after cutting them. The drive of the
sliding table was fine tuned for polishing.
The pressure bar is divided
into several clamping areas, which
can be used independently ensuring
gentle and firm clamping of smaller
and bigger workpieces. A special
fence included in the package
makes it easier to position the workpieces
to be polished. Even
whole stacks of acrylic
plates can be positioned for
polishing without difficulty
at the 2 m guide. Acrylic
plates as well as whole>
stacks of material, with an
edge length of up to 3,000 mm and a thickness of up to
100 mm, can be processed effortlessly.

The package includes the polishing unit, including tool
protection, dust extraction hood and lifting device which
can be lifted and lowered manually. The polishing unit can
only be used with Euracryl ES-100 tools (not included in the
package) polishing a maximum thickness of up to 100 mm.

Planer for Plastics

MARTIN has also
developed a planer
designed for the
processing of plastics.
Specific
machine options
such as a vacuum
table for the processing of thin material, a zinc-coated
dust collection shroud to reduce static and a cutterhead
with an 18°hook angle are designed into the MARTIN
T45 planer. MARTIN also offers its T45 Contour planer
with these options, which allows for the profiling of plastic
material up to 24" wide with a 1" depth of cut.

Craftics provides a variety of tools and accessories for
working with plastics, including Tenryu Saw Blades. They
inventory the Tenryu Plasti-Cut and Pro Series Blades for
Plastics in a variety of sizes and grades.
The Plasti-Cut blades are designed for general purpose
cutting on a variety of materials and material thickness.

High grade
carbide
teeth
and an
ultrathin
kerf
will
allow
faster
feeding
and
minimal waste. They provide exceptional performance for
a value price. Craftics offers 7-1/4”, 10”, 12” and 14”
diameters from stock.

The Pro Series blades are superior quality, high-precision
blades that offer fine-grain, wear-resistant carbide
teeth for long life, expertly tensioned steel bodies for true
and accurate cuts, built-in expansion slots act as dampeners
to reduce vibration and noise. Achieve precise professional
cuts in production applications time after time.

Safety Speed currently offers nine different panel saws.
Their full line of panel saws are engineered to be low cost,
highly efficient and extremely safe to use. Each machine
has a guaranteed alignment built right into the machine
and calibrated within factory specifications.

From their C4 and C5 models which pack all the features
of full-size saws into a portable 5' frame to their
ES5210 Panel Saw designed for high production and tight
tolerance cutting, Safety Speed strives to provide their
customers with equipment that improves productivity,
quality, safety and bottom line profitability. Ideal for cutting
plastics, their top of the line ES5210 machine is
equipped with a 7 Hp, 3~, 220V motor. The European
Style traveling carriage traverses the full length of the
machine frame to execute cuts on full size sheets up to
61" tall and 130" long with cutting accuracy of 0.005"
straight
and
square.
The
traveling
beam
allows
the
operator
to leave
the
panel
stationary while the cutting blade moves both horizontally
and vertically.

Vortex Tool Company, Inc.
recently introduced a new
proprietary process of polishing
the flutes of their
router bits used in the plastics
industry. The process
imparts an extremely high
finish quality on the surface
of the cutting face and flute
area of the bit. For the user,
this means better cut quality,
longer tool life and less
chance for chip re-welding or sticking to the tool itself.
This new process is now used on all Vortex Tool’s plastic
cutting router bits.

Vortex Tool Company, Inc., designs and manufactures a
wide variety of standard and custom high-performance
router and insert cutting tools for the woodworking and
plastics industries, and provides re-tipping and sharpening
services.